She smiled, her fear dissipating like the morning mist. Moments later, lights flickered on inside, and the door swung open. A middle-aged woman appeared, worry etched deep in her features.
“Mom!”
Margaret’s daughter embraced her mother tightly, tears of relief streaming down her cheeks. “We were so worried!”
James stepped back, watching the reunion with a warmth spreading in his chest. He gave a small nod to Margaret, who looked back, gratitude shining in her eyes.
“Thank you,” her daughter mouthed, holding Margaret close. James nodded, tipping his hat before heading back to his cruiser. As he drove away, he glanced in the mirror.
Margaret stood in the doorway, waving softly, the garden’s scents wrapping around them both like a soft, familiar blanket. Tonight, there was no arrest, no crime solved. But he’d found someone lost, restored a little light to the world.
And that, James thought, was what being a police officer was truly about—a guardian not just of the peace, but of the people who sometimes needed a guide back home.
